Optoelectronic systems typically refer to the systems including optoelectronic devices, for example, photovoltaic (“PV”) devices, light emitting diodes (“LEDs”), lasers, photodetectors, and the like. The photovoltaic devices may be the devices that convert solar radiation into electrical energy. Such photovoltaic devices are commonly known as solar cells. Generally, an array of solar cells, each solar cell interconnected, is mounted on a common or shared platform to provide a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic modules may be electrically coupled to an electrical power distribution network, forming a photovoltaic system.
Generally, a concentrating photovoltaic (“CPV”) technology uses optical components to concentrate solar radiation onto the photovoltaic devices. The commercialization of the CPV technology depends on the ability to maintain reliable operating temperatures of all devices within the system throughout a wide range of ambient temperatures and wind speeds. The CPV system typically requires the attachment of heat sinks (e.g., extruded metal or folded sheet metal forms as is common in the industry) to the backside of the solar cell packaging in order to transfer the heat from the cell to the ambient air. The use of the optics components often deflects wind from flowing through the heat sinks in some orientations required for sun tracking. The large gradient in the airflow speeds through the array of heat sinks results in a large difference in cell temperatures. For most systems there is a tendency for cells in a specific position on the array to run hotter or colder than the rest of the array.
Generally, the large range in operating temperature of the optoelectronic devices creates inefficiency in the optoelectronic system unless different cooling devices are used at different locations adding cost and complexity to the system assembly and component fabrication.
An alternative way to build the PV system may be to design all heat sinks of the PV system for the hot regions on the array which causes the heat sinks for the cooler regions to be overdesigned. Because heat sink cost is a relatively large portion of the system this results in lost profit margin on the final product.
From an electrical efficiency perspective, the thermal gradient in the string of the PV devices induces a corresponding mismatch in optimum operating points between the cells that results in efficiency losses. From a reliability perspective, the hotter devices are more likely to fail compared to devices that typically operate at a reduced temperature. Thus, any warranties of the system can be plagued by early failure of a portion of the system.